Postal worker impaled in crash is identified

(Source: Pinal County Sheriff's Office) A U.S. Postal Service worker was clinging to life after she was impaled by a fence pole when she drifted off a road and ran into a chain link fence near Apache Junction on Monday.

(Source: Pinal County Sheriff's Office) The top two rails of the chain-link fence pierced the truck's firewall before striking the driver.

(Source: Pinal County Sheriff's Office) Investigators said they didn't know why the driver drifted off the road.

APACHE JUNCTION, AZ (CBS5) -

A U.S. Postal Service worker was clinging to life Wednesday after she was impaled by a fence pole when she drifted off a road and ran into a chain link fence near Apache Junction on Monday.

Leslie Russell, 57, of Apache Junction, was driving on West Houston Road in Apache Junction about 12:34 p.m. when she struck the fence, according to Tim Gaffney of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.

The top two rail poles of the fence penetrated the delivery truck's firewall, one of them piercing the driver in the upper left portion of her chest and traveling through her body into the back of her seat, Gaffney said.

The woman was flown to a Scottsdale Healtchare-Osborn Hospital and was being treated for serious life-threatening injuries, Gaffney said. He said she remained at the hospital Wednesday morning.

Neither alcohol nor drugs were considered factors in the crash, Gaffney said.